I awoke yesterday morning, still feeling in a somewhat altered state, ruminating on Andrew Zolli‘s observation of the magnetic attraction of awakened people that permeates Pop!Tech. When I logged in, I found an email notifying me of a comment posted on a blog entry I wrote years ago, on Self-Reliance vs. Interdependence: Inherence, Adherence and Coherence. The comment offered me an opportunity to re-read, reflect on and reaffirm some of the particularly appealing concepts and terms I’d gleaned from Ralph Waldo Emerson‘s inspirational book:
- alienated majesty (hearing others speak truths we ourselves had earlier discovered, but rejected),
- the vigor of wild virtue (uncivilized, spontaneous, instinctual aboriginal strength)
- the corpse of memory (our concern with being consistent, lest we violate expectations and disappoint others)
All of these resonate all the more strongly with me during this post-Pop!Tech period. Many of the conversations at Pop!Tech helped me better recognize the alienated majesty within me (a developing self struggling with self-development), as well as the alienated majesty of the invisible and voiceless people who are struggling in many developing regions of the world. The wild virtue exposed and expressed through many of the presentations and performances (Vanessa German comes foremost to mind) was, well, invigorating. And as for the corpse of memory, well, I find myself increasingly fearful that Pop!Tech has permanently altered my state, that I won’t be able to snap back to "normal", and that if I proceed much further along the path that seems to be silently – or, perhaps, not so silently – drawing me, I may well violate expectations and disappoint others.
There’s a part of me that wants to go back to sleep … reminding me of a Rumi poem:
The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.
Don’t go back to sleep.You must ask for what you really want.
Don’t go back to sleep.People are going back and forth across the doorsill
where the two worlds touch.The door is round and open.
Don’t go back to sleep.
I was also reminded of Oriah Mountain Dreamer‘s observations in her audiotape, Your Heart’s Prayer – which I’d earlier projected onto the practice of unfolding through blogging – about people who come into contact with spiritually enlightened individuals, such as Mahatma Ghandi or Mother Teresa, likening the experience to what happens when two tuning forks coming into proximity of each other: the strong vibration of the spiritually enlightened person transmits energy to any other person that comes near.
I felt like I was walking in a sea of vibrating tuning forks at Pop!Tech – so maybe, in addition to my earlier observation of combined high IQ and high EQ among people at Pop!Tech (Pop!Techies?), I should add high SQ (spiritual intelligence) to the mix. It seemed like everyone was in a highly awakened state … and I wonder whether that represents an alteration of normality for others, or whether it is their normal state … or perhaps [only] their normal state at Pop!Tech … or simply another example of my seeing what I want to see.
I’m not sure what "normal" is anymore – for me … reminding me of earlier periods when I identified strongly with the character of Phaedrus in Robert Pirsig’s book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance … which I suppose is apt, given that I’m increasingly inquiring into values.
Comments
7 responses to “Altered States, Alienated Majesty, the Vigor of Wild Virtue and the Magnetic Attraction of Awakened People”
Joe
I’ve been enjoying your reports of Pop!Tech, Joe. Sounds like it was a kind of watershed experience, or perhaps a barrel ride over Niagara Falls! What a beautiful event, one that brought people so close together and opened so many possibilities. I’ve been interested for a long time in the notion of certain places and certain events that create a positive spiritual vortex (there are negative vortexes, too), and you surely experienced a powerfully positive one.
I was especially touched by your conclusion that the most underappreciated tool for changing the future is …
“Our physical presence, attention and actions – our whole selves.”
Seems like the conference acted superlatively as a bridge, from intellect and emotion to gifts of spirit.
We are really blessed that such events are happening in our time.
I wonder what it would be to understand and experience Rumi’ works in their original forms. It is way too difficult to bring out the very original effervescence when translated. As an example, the translated works of Rabindranath Tagore, the Indian Nobel laureate, just do not stack up ( even though I do not understand the original, ‘cos it’ mostly in Bengali language ) as superlative, somehow.
How about some of Rainer Maria Rilke? Rilke’ awesome.
As for this whole post, I just find the term “Spiritual” itself, inadequate, non-conforming, the dictionary meaning is way-off-the-mark ( falls short ) for what it is supposed to even convey( ?? ). Or is it only me who thinks like that!
Dan: thanks, as always, for your encouraging words – and for adding “positive spiritual vortex” to my vocabulary of inspiring words and phrases.
Praveen: thanks, too, for your comments. I have two colleagues who were born in Iran who have also assured me that even Coleman Barks’ translation of Rumi – the one I use – does not adequately capture the full range of insights he offers through his poetry. I’ve been exposed to (and inspired by) smaller doses of Rabindranath Tagore and Rainer Maria Rilke, but am not surprised that much is lost in their translation, also.
To be honest, I think much is lost in any translation or transmission, even between people with shared language, culture and beliefs. I’m increasingly aware of how much of what I think I perceive about anyone or anything is largely a projection of my self onto others. Although I – and others – may miss some of the insights shared by these poets, I believe they can (and do) still serve to inspire, in however approximate a way. On a deep level – and I believe these poets help us probe those depths more effectively – we are all connected, and so even if the path we follow to those deep connections is not the one originally intended by these illustrious and illuminating pathfinders (poets), I think the end result is the same.
And I think that metaphor reflects my own idea about spirituality – descending below, or perhaps transcending beyond, the self into the deeper and broader whole that unites us … the river that flows through us all.
Ah, Rilke! I was JUST thinking about him because of this post by one of my favorite bloggers, Nick Smith at Life 2.0 His post about the statue of David is, as usual, inspired.
Best
Dan
Ah, as is your comment! Like Nick, I too am inspired by the closing of Rilke’s Archaic Torso of Apollo poem you shared there:
To perpetuate the virtuous cycle of mutual inspiration, this, in turn, reminds me of a Rilke poem I heard David Whyte recite on his Clear Mind, Wild Heart audiobook, “You, Darkness”:
A beautiful poem, Joe. There are so many from Rilke, as with Rumi.
Saw your video by Scoble. I’ve always found that first question, “So who are you?” just a tad intimidating because it really carries no context, opening up a self-conscious can of worms. “Who am I? Who am I? Well, darned if I know. Who are you, Robert?”
I guess that wouldn’t be nice.
Dan
Wow…I like the comments over here. Thanks for sharing the poem….it is inspiring…